The roadmap is becoming clear for Japan as its casino sector continues on a path of transformation.
A newly released cabinet order has confirmed that the application process for local governments interested in hosting a casino will run from 6 May 2027 to 5 November 2027.
Under the country’s integrated resorts bill, licences are available for up to three operators to build new resorts, which will include casinos.
During the first round of applications, MGM Resorts International was granted permission to begin work on a resort in a joint venture with Japan’s Orix Corporation in Osaka – scheduled to open in 2030.
Now, local government areas, known as prefectures, will be able to express interest in one of the two remaining licences and submit an IR District Development Plan to the authorities.
Major cities Nagasaki and Wakayama have both taken part in the first round of applications; however, they were both rejected. Meanwhile, Yokohama withdrew its application, citing social concerns.
It is likely that both these locations will once again submit applications, whilst other prefectures such as Hokkaido and Aichi have begun consultations regarding the possibility of bidding for a resort.
Each region interested in being home to an integrated resort must prepare an area development plan in collaboration with a private sector operator. International firms such as Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts and Hard Rock International were linked to applications amid an increased focus on Asian investment.
Comparing the legislation to similar models seen across Asia, Japan has clearly focused its integrated resorts sector on the Singapore model as opposed to that of Macau.
Looking to tame any anti-casino rhetoric that remains within the country and ensure the sector is a tourist hub on many levels, rather than just a gambling economy.
Clarity over the timeline will be a key boost for the sector and serve to significantly elevate the appetite of operators looking at the potential of the market for expansion.
Snap election success paves the way for casino boost
Japan’s desire to welcome regulated land-based gaming has been led by the country’s recently re-elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
The country’s first female leader secured an emphatic victory, with her party winning more than two-thirds of the lower house majority – a feat achieved for the first time since Japan’s parliament took its current form in 1947.
Takaichi has long been an advocate for the gaming industry and spearheaded a bill in 2013, which eventually led to the current integrated resort legislation.
The Japanese premier’s mandate is focused on delivering on stimulating economic growth through cutting taxes and increasing spending.
As a result, Takaichi sees investment in the casino sector as a major tenet of these plans. When she was first elected in October 2025, Takaichi ordered the Ministry of Tourism to resume efforts to ramp up the casino mandate, leading to the current acceleration in the schedule for applicants.
Despite these positive steps, the outlook appears less rosy for the online gambling sector.
She previously stated that ‘online casinos are not only a source of funding for anonymous, mobile criminal groups, but they are also a major drain on Japanese wealth overseas, which is something we cannot overlook’.
Underpinning her focus on clamping down on their growth, Takaichi added: “I would like to thoroughly discuss what we can do quickly to eliminate the abundance of advertisements and posts that lead people to online casinos and to stop the spread of addiction as soon as possible.”
